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As-Salaam-Alaikum,
My name is Ayesha Khalfe and I’m a legal assistant at Muslim Advocates. During Ramadan, Muslim Advocates is sharing stories from our staff to give you better insight into who we are as an organization and the vital work we do. Today I want to share my story with you and to highlight one of our ally’s efforts to support young Muslims like me who dream of a career in public service.
I came of age in the shadow of 9/11 and the anti-Muslim backlash that followed. To try to keep me safe and shield me from Islamophobia, my parents enrolled me in an all-Muslim grade school. However, as a student who wore the hijab, I could not escape hate and discrimination; it always found a way to reach me and my friends. At the time, we were up against more than just the bullies on the streets. Our communities faced the full force of U.S. government and law enforcement policies that targeted us because of our identity. Back then, it felt like my only recourse was to commiserate with my friends and family. I was proud of how we managed to find strength in each other but I also wanted to fight back. That is why I decided that I want to go to law school to defend the rights of my ummah and all people who are victimized by hate, discrimination and government overreach. As I prepare to go to law school, I’m so grateful that I found a home at Muslim Advocates where I can work alongside an inspiring team that fights tirelessly to dismantle the structures that unfairly target my community.
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As a legal assistant at Muslim Advocates, I have worked to defend the rights of incarcerated Muslims by filing open records requests to uncover the religious accommodations policies at prisons across the country. And after receiving several pleas for help from Muslim travelers who said they were discriminated against by U.S. Customs and Border Patrol agents, I got hands-on experience supporting our legal team in providing legal-advocacy assistance to so many in need. It’s inspiring to know, especially in light of my background, that my efforts directly aid fellow Muslims who face systemic discrimination.
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Ayehsa with Muslim Advocates staff and volunteers at our 2022 Congressional Iftar
As I get ready to go to law school, I now realize how much my time with Muslim Advocates is preparing me to become a civil rights lawyer. I want others to have this kind of opportunity so that’s why I also want to shine a spotlight on the Muslim Bar Association of Chicago-Islamic Scholarship Fund [[link removed]] . Just last week, Muslim Advocates Executive Director Omar Farah was the keynote speaker at an iftar to help launch this new scholarship. The MBA Chicago-ISF scholarship is designed to help Muslims pursue a public interest career—just as I hope to do! I really commend their effort to empower people who wish to defend the rights of their communities in the future.
During my last Ramadan with Muslim Advocates, I am supporting people seeking religious accommodations with Know Your Rights resources that focus on the challenges Muslim face seeking accommodations from schools, the workplace and prisons. We are also hosting weekly hotline sessions for people to seek advice directly from one of our staff attorneys. If you have a question about Ramadan accommodations, you can speak directly to one of our attorneys every Thursday from 5-7 PM ET by calling 202-539-9679!
As you plan your charitable gifts during this sacred month, I ask that you consider supporting Muslim Advocates. Your gift will help ensure Muslim Advocates is at the forefront of the fight for justice in our communities, now and in the future.
We appreciate your commitment to our mission, and thank you for your support thus far!
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Ramadan Mubarak!
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Washington, DC 20043 United States
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